Scunthorpe United LIVE: Updates from first press conference since Graham Alexander's sacking

We will be live at Glanford Park and be bringing you all the updates from the first press conference since Graham Alexander's sacking.

Although it was widely reported that there was interest in Steve Cotterill Swann ruled that out and has decided to stick with Nick Daws and Andy Dawson, who did well in temporary charge in 2016 after Mark Robins was sacked.

In their first five games in charge back in 2016, Daws and Dawson won four out of five games and Swann will be hoping for a similar impact from the pair as they look to remain in the play-off spots with Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Charlton and Bradford looking to sneak in ahead of them.

We’ll be speaking to Nick Daws at around 1:30pm and you can follow all the discussions, as they happen from Glanford Park.

That's it for today

That’s it for today and thank you for joining us for today’s live coverage of the first press conference since Graham Alexander’s sacking.

It certainly gave us an isight as to what we can expect from the last seven games which starts against Oxford on Friday.

Scunthorpe United press conferencePaul Crute

So Jordan to start on Saturday?

Daws said Clarke is in contention for a start.

“The decision will be based on risk and reward,” Daws said. “If he fatigues quite qucikly he could be putting himself at risk.”

Scunthorpe United press conferencePaul Crute

More from Nick Daws ahead of Oxford

Daws revealed that players are creeping back to to full fitness with Marnick Vermijl and Luke Williams back on the grass.

Clayton lewis has returned from international duty while Lee Novak returned to training today

Jordan Clarke, who has appeared as a substitute in the last two games, is getting fitter and stronger.

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

That's all from Glanford Park!

That’s all our interviews wrapped up!

Check back here for all the latest stories on today’s ongoings.

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

Nick Daws not ruling out the idea of becoming permanent manager

ND: “I haven’t given it too much thought. I am solely focused on the objective ahead of us from now until the end of the season.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Daws on the teams preparations ahead of Oxford trip

ND: “I don’t have any different feelings standing out there as manager on Saturday. I am confident team of all our coaches and our supporting staff, the team is as best team prepared as they could be for Friday’s game.

“We’re ready to go out there and get the three points.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

More from Daws

“Our objective is to go win games of football. We want to give it a good go without being fearful of the consequences - you can’t play that way.

“We know we don’t have much breathing space, with seven games to go and a lot of teams are breathing down our neck to get into the play-offs and take our place.

“But we’re not feeling the pressure. We enjoy doing what we do, and we hope that translates to our performances on the pitch.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Daws knows the quality of his side

ND: “We are not in this position by a fluke. We know we have a quality squad here. We recruited some talented players this summer and we know how good of a side we can be - we need to get back to playing this way.

“We are confident that we can find that small amount that will turn around our form and get back to winning football games. Once we get that first win, it will hopefully give everyone around the club to go get another one - we go from there.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Daws confident of making this season a successful one

ND: “We are in an position to challenge to get enough in the play-offs, but our next objective is to win next game. We have seven big games coming up.

“Our challenge is to go one step further than last season and we’re confident we can do that.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

Nick Daws' interview with the Telegraph

ND: “I’m very much looking forward to the challenge ahead. We are in a great position to do something special this season, but we have to turn it around quickly.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Nick Daws coming up

We’ll be speaking to Nick Daws in the next few minutes.

Stick around here for all the updates on the discussions, as they happen from Glanford Park.

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

More from Rory McArdle

RM: “We can’t let all the hard work that we’ve gone through go to waste.

“With seven games to go, we are still in a great position to make this season a successful one.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

Now, onto the press conference!

Paul Crute has been speaking to Rory McArdle...

RM: “The most important thing is that the lads all stick together.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Analysing Swann's statement

A very encouraging statement from the club’s chairman.

He feels confident that Nick Daws and Andy Dawson are more than capable of putting together a good run of form from now until the end of the season and giving the side the best possible chance of promotion back to the Championship for the first time since 2011.

Swann is clearly optimistic about the club’s future - no matter what happens this season.

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Addressing the accounts and an upcoming fan forum

PS: “You can now see the accounts online and I am sure some of you will have questions to ask, so I have pleasure in announcing the next fans’ forum date as Tuesday 17th April, here at the football ground, where you can discuss this and any football questions you may have. A time will follow and also details of where you can send questions if you can’t attend the evening.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

Swann optimistic about Scunthorpe United's future and wants the fans to enjoy the football at Glanford Park

PS: “We now move on and try to finish the season as high in the league as we can, if that means play-offs - fantastic, if it doesn’t, we start again and build for the next season. Whatever happens, your support is so important to us.

“I want you to start to enjoy the football at GP again and have something to cheer about over these last seven league games of the season. Nick and Andy will do their best to lift the team and the players will respond, I know they will because they are professional footballers and I trust them to resurrect our season for Scunthorpe United and for themselves, it’s the least we expect.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

More from Swann's statement

PS: “I have answered every question and have not hidden from my decision, you know that is what I am about and the majority have backed me through it all and I will continue to remain decisive and honest in my approach to this role.”

This cannot be denied. Whenever Swann has made a big decision, he has made it a point to speak to the local media in justifying his thought process.

PS: “This has been difficult, Graham and I talked for hours in the last month or so, understanding the potential outcomes, but understanding we must remain honest to each other in whatever decision was made.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Swann honoured to represent Scunthorpe United

“Being a Chairman can often be thankless and this is when I sometimes question myself to why I am in this business, but I love this job and feel very honoured to represent Scunny.

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

Why Alexander was sacked and confirming Daws and Dawson until the end of the season

PS: “Unfortunately, the form from January has not been good and only collecting 10 points out of a possible 39 in our last 13 matches, and five points in our last eight games, has left us very close to moving out of the play-off positions. Our home form has been poor, especially when you consider our recent run of a year unbeaten at home being fresh in the memory. These are facts you cant hide away and ones I needed to consider during my decision making.

We now face a very important time in our history and another opportunity to grasp a play-off place on our road to the Championship, led by Nick and Andy. They steadied the ship and created a good atmosphere around the club the last time they took the helm and I am excited about that prospect again as I hope you are? All I ask is you give them and the players a huge lift at the Plymouth game so we can give ourselves a chance of turning this terrible run around and getting back on track.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Swann states it was an honour to work with Graham Alexander

PS: “Can I firstly say it was an honour to work closely with Graham over the past couple of years. We may not have agreed on everything, but we approached our relationship with respect and professionalism throughout that time. Graham has become one of our best managers here at Scunthorpe United and will forever be remembered for a fantastic effort last season and a good start to this season in keeping us in the top six of League One.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceKEY EVENT

A statement from Peter Swann

Scunthorpe United’s chairman Peter Swann has just released a statement via the club’s official website.

PS: “The times I enjoy, as Chairman of the football club, gladly outweigh the disappointing ones, but the hardest decision I ever seem to make is the change in management.

Believe me when I say I do not take it lightly and I think very carefully before I act, analysing the facts and details of why it is happening and how the club needs to move forward.”

Scunthorpe United press conferenceCharlie Wilson

Good afternoon!

Paul is on his way down to Glanford Park as we prepare to speak to Nick Daws and/or Andy Dawson for the first time since Graham Alexander was sacked.

Whilst we wait for the press conference to start, why not check out my thoughts on Alexander’s sacking, what went wrong for him and a look towards the future...